Single hose coupling system

ABSTRACT

By the present invention there is provided a system for connecting a sequentially controlled washing machine to a faucet supplying liquid under line pressure, including a coupling attachable to the faucet and a multipassageway conduit connecting the coupling to the machine. A solenoid controlled water valve is encapsulated in the housing between the line pressure faucet inlet area and an outlet area communicating with a passageway in the conduit for introducing water at flow pressure to the washing machine only when the solenoid controlled water valve is energized. The electrical wires necessary for energizing the solenoid valve at predetermined times in the machine cycle are brought to the solenoid from the machine sequence control system through another passageway in the conduit. Effluent from the washing machine is directed through still another passageway in the conduit and discharged through an appropriate passageway in the housing.

Guth

[451 Jan. 29, 1974 SINGLE HOSE COUPLING SYSTEM [75] Inventor: Lauren W.Guth, Louisville, Ky.

[73] Assignee: General Electric Company,

Louisville, Ky.

[22] Filed: July 27, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 275,727

[52] U.S. Cl 137/355.l7, 137/608 [51] Int. Cl B65h 75/36 [58] Field ofSearch 137/355.l7, 624.11, 608, 609

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,092,l34 6/1963 Allen etal. l37/355.17

3,301,022 l/l967 Low l37/624.ll X

3,4l7,782 l2/l968 Mentnech l37/624.ll

3,635,243 l/l972 Brezosky t 251/289 X 2,640,724 6/1953 Sanders et al.l37/355.17 X 3,177,898 4/1965 Scott et al .4 l37/624.ll 3,392,747 7/1968Waldrop l37/624.l1 X 3,439,706 4/1969 Barrett 251/289 X 3,466,006 9/1969Livingston l37/624.ll X 3,683,964 8/1972 Harrold l37/624.ll

Primary ExaminerSamuel Scott Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Francis H. Boos,Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT By the present invention there is provided a system forconnecting a sequentially controlled washing machine to a faucetsupplying liquid under line pressure, including a coupling attachable tothe faucet and a multipassageway conduit connecting the coupling to themachine. A solenoid controlled water valve is encapsulated in thehousing between the line pressure faucet inlet area and an outlet areacommunicating with a passageway in the conduit for introducing water atflow pressure to the washing machine only when the solenoid controlledwater valve is energized. The electrical wires necessary for energizingthe solenoid valve at predetermined times in the machine cycle arebrought to the solenoid from the machine sequence control system throughanother passageway in the conduit. Effluent from the washing machine isdirected through still another passageway in the conduit and dischargedthrough an appropriate passageway in the housing.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAN 2 9 I974 SHEET 1 OF 2PATENTEDJAN 2 1914? 3; 788,347

SHEEI 2 BF 2 F'IGZ SINGLE HOSE COUPLING SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates generally to an improved fluid couplingsystem for a water using device or water treatment apparatus such as anautomatic washing machine and, more particularly. to a couplingincluding an electrically operable water valve for introducing waterinto the machine at predetermined times in a machine cycle. The couplingis connected to the machine by a multipassageway low pressure conduit.

Prior to the present invention, the Water valve for introducing waterinto the machine had been located within the machine cabinet and waterunder line pressure was delivered to the valve through a conduitconnecting the coupling to the valve, the result being that the hosesconnecting the valve and machine to the water source were necessarilydesigned to withstand full line pressure. Examples of prior art couplingdevices are disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,306,319 to N. L. Kendt el al.and US. Pat. No. 3,635,243 to B. J. Brezosky assigned to GeneralElectric Company, the assignee of the present invention. It will benoted that in these devices the user of the machine turns on the faucetto deliver water'to the valve located in the machine wherein the wateris then introduced to the machine tub by automatically operating thevalve at appropriate times in the cycle. As pointed out herein above, inthe prior art coupling sytems the hose is constantly under full linepressure until such time as the valve in the machine is energized duringthe relatively short fill operation and, the hoses were by necessityconstructed to withstand line pressure for extended periods of time.

Attempts have also been made in prior devices to use multipassagewayconduits such as are shown in US. Pat. No. 2,012,834 to C. M. Snider etal. and US. Pat. No. 2,422,060 to G. H. Wotring assigned to the GeneralElectric Company, assignee of the present invention. While these hosesmay have had the advantage of a single unitary body, they were used withmachines incorporating the water valve within their cabinet; and in factwere designed to withstand line pressure which, in effect, made themsomewhat bulky to handle and expensive to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a couplingassembly that permits a washing machine to be connected to a source ofwater at line pressure such as a kitchen faucet. More specifically, theinvention is an improved construction for a coupling assembly unit thatincludes a body portion defining a liquid passageway therethrough andhaving an inlet end with means to removably couple it to a water faucetspout, and at least two separate outlets therefrom. One of the outletscommunicat'es with a water delivery passageway formed in amultipassageway conduit for selectively delivering water to a washingmachine such as a dishwasher, and the other outlet serves for dispensingwater from the assembly in the direction of the sink normally locatedtherebelow. The dispensing outlet may be provided with a manuallyoperative valve movable to permit water to flow outwardly through thedispensing outlet. Located between the inlet and the outlet leading tothe delivery passageway is an electrically controlled valve wired to themachine sequence control system for selectively energizing the valve atpredetermined times in the machine cycle of operation. The assemblypreferably has a drain passageway therethrough which receives effluentfrom the washing machine through another passageway in the connectingconduit.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a devicewhich maintains the line pressure at or within the coupling assembly bycontrolling the flow of water to the machine within the housing. Theconduit connecting the coupling to the machine is not subjected to linepressure, but receives flowing water only when, through the machinesequence control, the electrically operated valve is energized duringthe relatively short fill operation of the machine. Isolation of thehigh line pressure from the conduit at the coupling enables the conduitconnecting the coupling to the washing machine to be constructed as alow pressure conduit, that is, a conduit designed to transmit waterunder relatively low flow pressure conditions. The conduit of thepresent invention also includes a passageway through which the necessarywires connecting the valve to the sequence control mechanism are passedthrough.

The present invention provides a coupling sytem wherein the water inletvalve for introducing water into the machine is encapsulated in thehousing that is removably attached to the water faucet. The waterdirected to the machine, the effluent discharged from the machine, andthe necessary wires for operating the valve are carried in separatepassageways in a common conduit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a view showing the coupling system of the present inventionconnecting a faucet assembly to a washing machine;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the improved coupling assembly;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the connectingarrangement at the machine; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawingswherein one embodiment of the present invention is shown and moreparticularly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a coupling assembly 1 forconnecting a washing machine 2 to the outlet end of a faucet 3 through amultipassageway conduit 4. At the machine terminal of the conduit 4there is provided a distribution member through which, as willhereinafter be described, one of the passageways in the conduit 4communicates with a fill hose 7 for introducing water into the tub 8 andanother of the passageways in the conduit 4 communicates with a drainhose 9 leading from a pump 1 1. Also carried in the conduit 4 areelectrical conductors 12 which connect a solenoid operated valve means13 located in the coupling 1 to a sequence control 14 of conventionalconstruction for operation at predetermined times in a machine cycle ofoperation.

Referring now to FIG. 2 the coupling assembly com* prises two bodyportions 16 and 17 which are suitably joined together to form a unitarycoupling. The body portion 16 is provided with connecting means 18 forremovably coupling it to the faucet 3 whereby the inlet end 19 is inliquid receiving relationship with the faucet 3. The inlet end 19communicates with a water chamber 21 having an annular passage 22 formedabout a cylindrical outlet port 23 communicating with an outlet 24. Theother end of chamber 21 is provided with an area 26 having anelastometric valve member 27 located therein for sealing chamber 21 froman outlet 28. It will be noted that the valve member 27 is fittedloosely and is normally held in the closed position as shown in FIG. 2by water pressure within the chamber 21 exerted against the member 27.The valve member 27 in the present embodiment is arranged to be unseatedby a camming action of manually operated member 29 acting against a stem31 formed on the valve member 27. it will be understood that the userdesiring water need simply slide the member 29 located within a housing32 upwardly so that the cam member 29 moves against the valve stem 31thereby moving the valve member 27 so that water within the chamber 21will flow past the valve 27 and outlet 28 downwardly through a channel33 and out from a dispensing port 34. Located in the body portion 17 onthe assembly 1 is an outlet passageway 36 communicating with outlet 24and an effluent discharge passageway 37.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention the valve means13 for controlling the flow of water into the machine wash tube 18 islocated in the coupling 1 and is operable through the sequence control14 located in the machine 2. Located in the body portion 17 (FIG. 2) andencapsulated therein is a solenoid 38 which lines up with the outletport 23 to control the operation of a diaphragm 39. The diaphragm isheld at its radially disposed edges between the body portions 16 and 17and is provided with a central thickened portion 41 which cooperateswith the port 23 to control fluid flow therethrough. A center passage 42in the diaphragm 34 serves to communicate fluid from a chamber 43 formedabove the diaphragm to the outlet port 23. A bleed port 44 is alsoformed within the diaphragm so as to communicate fluid from the inletpassage 22 to the chamber 43. The port 44 has a smaller flow area thanthe central orifice 42 so that when each of the ports are opened fluidwill flow from the chamber 43 to the outlet port 23 faster than it willflow from the chamber 43 from the inlet passage 22. Such fluid operatedsolenoid controlled diapghram valves are now widely accepted in thevalve art and operate on the following principles. When the central port42 is closed the fluid will flow from the inlet 22 to the chamber 43thereby creating a differential fluid force on the opposite sides of thediaphragm 39 to maintin the diaphragm .in the seated position withrespect to the port 23. The

dipahragm 39 can be unseated from the port 23 merely by openingcommunication between the chamber 43 and port 23 through the passage 42.Since the flow area of passage 42 is greater than the flow area of port44, fluid will flow from the chamber 43 faster than it will flow intothe chamber, and fluid pressure acting on the undersurface of thediaphragm 39 will act to force the diaphragm to an open position. Theoutlet port 23, it will be observed, communicates with the outlet 24 andpassageway 36. Referring once again to FIG. 2 an armature 46 is adaptedto control fluid flow through the central port 42 in the diaphragm 39,and is mounted for actually axial sliding movement within an armatureguide 47. A return spring 48 is mounted within the upper end of theguide 47 having one end seated against the closed end of the guide andhaving its opposite end seated against the armature 46 so that thearmature 46 will be biased into a position wherein it is seated upon thediaphragm 39 to shut off fluid flow through the central port 42. As bestseen in FIG. 2 to connect the conduit 4 to the coupling 1 the bodyportion 17 at the outlet end of the passageay 36 is provided with anipple 50 that is received in a passageway 51 formed in the conduit 4,while the inlet end of the effluent discharge passageway 37 is providedwith a nipple 52 that is received in a passageway 53 also formed inconduit 4. Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 the distribution member 6 isprovided with a portion 54 that is received in passageway 53 and, at itsother end portion 54, is provided with a nipple 56 on which the drainhose 9 is secured. In use, effluent pumped from the machine through pump11 is transferred through hose 9, portion 54, thence through passagewy53 in conduit 4 and out through passageway 37 located in the coupling 1which is located over a suitable drain or sink not shown. Formedintegral with portion 54 on member 6 is a nipple 57 which is received atone end in the passageway 51 of conduit 4 and at its other end looselyinto the fill hose 7 so as to provide an air gap. At the coupling endthe electric wires 12 are encapsulated (not shown) into the body portion17 so as to be electrically connected to the solenoid. The wires 12 asthey emerge from the body portion 17 are inserted into a passageway 58provided in the conduit 4 and emerge at member 6 where they then extendto be connected in the sequence control 14.

It will be understood that the energization of the valve means 13 isunder the influence of the sequence control 14 and the flow of water asin prior art machines is automatically inserted into the machine tube 8at predetermined times during the machine cycle of operation. However,in accordance with the present invention when the housewife connects thecoupling 1 to the faucet 3 and then turns the faucet on the valve means13 maintains the line pressure in the coupling 1 and more specificallyon the upstream or chamber 21 side of the diaphragm 39 as long as thesolenoid 38 remains de-energized. It will be understood from theforegoing description that with this arrangement water is allowed toflow through the conduit 4 from the coupling 1 to the washing machinetub 8 only during the fill operation when the solenoid valve means 13 isenergized. The flow of water through the passageway 51 in the conduit 4will therefore always be at the relatively low flow pressure. Theadvantages of this feature are obvious in that the conduit 4 leading tothe machine is not exposed to water at line pressure and may thereforebe fabricated of relatively thin wall material which allows it to beflexible and lightweight.

It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that what has beenheretofore described is considered to be the presently preferredebodiments of this invention and that changes may be made in thedisclosed apparatus without actually departing from the true spirit andscope of this invention.

1 claim:

1. A coupling assembly connecting an automatic washing machine having anautomatic sequence control means to a line pressure water supply faucetfor introducing water to said machine at predetermined times in a cycleof operation of said machine comprismg:

a body portion defining a water passageway therein having an inlet endremovably connected to the faucet and an outlet passageway fortransmitting water from said passageway toward said machine and adischarge passageway for receiving fluid from said washing machine;

an electrically operable water inlet valve disposed in effluent fromsaid machine, and a third passageway for receiving wires forelectrically connecting said water valve to said automatic washingmachine sequence control means for allowing the introduction of waterinto said machine at predetermined times in a cycle of operation of saidautomatic washing machine.

2. A coupling as set forth in claim 1 wherein a distribution member forreceiving the other end of said multipassageway conduit including afirst means for directing water from said water passageway into saidmachine, and a second means for directing effluent from said washingmachine into said second passageway for discharge through said dischargepassageway.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent 7 DatedJanuary 29, 1974 Lauren W. Guth Inventor(s) It is certified that errorappears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 2, line 12, "water", second occurrence, should read first Signedand sealed this 21st day of May 1974.

(SEAL) Attest: EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting OfficerCommissioner of Patents =ORM PO- uscomm oc 60376-P69 U.ST GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE I969 O-JGG-BIM,

1. A coupling assembly connecting an automatic washing machine having anautomatic sequence control means to a line pressure water supply faucetfor introducing water to said machine at predetermined times in a cycleof operation of said machine comprising: a body portion defining a waterpassageway therein having an inlet end removably connected to the faucetand an outlet passageway for transmitting water from said passagewaytoward said machine and a discharge passageway for receiving fluid fromsaid washing machine; an electrically operable water inlet valvedisposed in said passageway for allowing the introduction of water intosaid machine at predetermined times in a cycle of operation of saidautomatic machine; a multipassageway conduit connected at one end tosaid body portion including a first passageway connecting said outletpassageway with said washing machine for introducing water into saidmachine, a second passageway connecting said washing machine to saiddischarge passageway for receiving effluent from sAid machine, and athird passageway for receiving wires for electrically connecting saidwater valve to said automatic washing machine sequence control means forallowing the introduction of water into said machine at predeterminedtimes in a cycle of operation of said automatic washing machine.
 2. Acoupling as set forth in claim 1 wherein a distribution member forreceiving the other end of said multipassageway conduit including afirst means for directing water from said water passageway into saidmachine, and a second means for directing effluent from said washingmachine into said second passageway for discharge through said dischargepassageway.